[1] The type species Linhevenator tani was named and described in 2011 by Xu Xing, Tan Qingwei, Corwin Sullivan, Han Fenglu and Xiao Dong.

Its four autapomorphies (unique traits) include a jugal with a lateral flange, a surangular crest that is anteroventrally oriented, the presence of medial expansion near the distal end of the femur, and a wide longitudinal groove present along the distal third of the dorsal surface of the third metatarsal.

Troodontids have sickle-claws and raptorial hands, and some of the highest non-avian encephalization quotients, meaning they were behaviourally advanced and had keen senses.

Linhevenator has a dromaeosaurid-like pedal digit II, carrying a sickle-claw larger than that of basal troodontids.

This position was seen by the authors as an indication for an evolutionary trend in the Troodontidae of shortening the forelimbs and for a parallel evolution of large sickle-claws with both the troodontids and the dromaeosaurids.